Governor Corbett Signs 46 Measures into Law

HARRISBURG, Pa., July 7, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --Governor Tom Corbett today signed into law the following bills:

Senate Bill 101: The bill amends Section 714 of 65 Pa.C.S. (Public Officers) to increase the maximum penalty that may be imposed on a public official who participates in a meeting with the intent and purpose of violating the open meeting requirements and other provisions of the Sunshine Act. It also bars an agency from making a payment on behalf of a member of the agency, or to reimburse a member of the agency, for any fine or cost resulting from a violation of the Sunshine Act.

Senate Bill 151: The bill amends the Act of Jan. 8, 1960 (1959 P.L. 2119, No. 787), known as the Air Pollution Control Act, to require 25 percent of a fine or civil penalty collected over $50,000 to be returned to the municipality in which the incident occurred for use for projects that eliminate or reduce air pollution or for parks, recreation projects, trails, or open space; and establishes procedures.

Senate Bill 163: The bill designates the bridge located on State Route 0006 over the Lackawaxen River, Honesdale Borough, Wayne County, as the Brigadier General Richard J. Tallman Bridge.

Senate Bill 260: The bill amends the Act of November 29, 1990 (P.L. 585, No. 148), known as the Confidentiality of HIV-Related Information Act, by making HIV testing a routine part of general medical care as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The bill further provides that no positive test result can be revealed to the patient without the immediate opportunity for individual face-to-face counseling, and makes other changes.

Senate Bill 263: The bill amends the Act of June 25, 1982 (P.L. 633, No. 181), known as the Regulatory Review Act, to require an agency promulgating a regulation to identify and describe any data upon which the regulation is based and provide an explanation of how the data was obtained and why the data is "acceptable data." It also makes other changes related to the consideration of such data in deliberations by the Independent Regulatory Review Commission.

Senate Bill 302: The bill amends the Act of July 2, 1993 (P.L. 359, No. 50), known as the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund Act, to require the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Department of Education, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, and the State System of Higher Education to each submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an annual report of projects and services provided by moneys from the Fund.

Senate Bill 326: The bill adds a new section to the Act of June 29, 1953 (P.L 304, No.66) known as the Vital Statistics Law of 1953, to require, upon the request of a parent, the Department of Health to issue a certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth for any fetal death previously filed with the department.

Senate Bill 369: The bill amends 74 Pa.C.S. (Transportation) to provide for the designation of a portion of U.S. 219, U.S. 322, State Route 969, State Route 879, State Route 153, State Route 453, State Route 1001, State Route 729, State Route 4005 and the Greenville Pike and Bilger's Rocks Road, in Clearfield County, as scenic byways. It also prohibits the placement of outdoor advertising devices within a specific footage of the byway or within view from the scenic byways, with certain exceptions.

Senate Bill 387: The bill amends 34 Pa.C.S. (Game and Wildlife Code) to allow Commonwealth license issuing agents to sell hunting licenses to resident active service members of the military who are on leave or who have recently returned home after overseas deployment. Previously, qualified members of the military had to purchase their hunting licenses only from the Game Commission or from a county treasurer.

Senate Bill 419: The bill amends the Act of Dec. 22, 1983 (P.L.306, No.84), known as the Board of Vehicles Act to authorize licensed motorcycle dealers to sell motorcycles on Sundays and modify the conditions imposed on the franchise relationship between new vehicle dealers and manufacturers to better protect dealers. It also makes other changes.

Senate Bill 448: The bill amends 18 Pa.C.S. (Crimes and Offenses) to add a subsection to Section 6308 creating immunity from prosecution for a person under the age of 21 for the possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages if law enforcement, including campus safety police, became aware of the possession or consumption solely because the individual was seeking medical assistance for someone else. The person seeking the assistance must reasonably believe he or she is the first to call for assistance, must use his own name with authorities, and must stay with the individual needing medical assistance until help arrives.

Senate Bill 552: The bill amends the Act of Dec. 18, 2001 (P.L.949, No.114), known as the Workforce Development Act, to establish statutory guidelines for the establishment and operation of "Industry Partnerships" to foster workforce development, and also makes other changes.

Senate Bill 606: The bill amends 74 Pa.C.S. (Transportation) to designate a 37-mile route in Crawford County as a scenic byway to be known as the Crawford Lakelands Byway. The designated route includes sections of U.S. Route 6 starting at the Pennsylvania-Ohio border, State Route 18, State Route 618 and State Route 285.

Senate Bill 723: The bill designates the bridge that connects South Williamsport to Williamsport, known as the Market Street Bridge, carrying U.S. Route 15 over the Susquehanna River in Loyalsock Township, Lycoming County, as the Carl E. Stotz Memorial Little League Bridge.

Senate Bill 728: The bill designates the bridge on I-99 at mile marker 19 in the southern end of Freedom Township and passing over old State Route 220 near the Greenfield Township line, Blair County, as the Cpl. Harry Raymond Harr Memorial Bridge.

Senate Bill 745: The bill amends Section 7 (a) (1) of the Act of July 5, 1984 (P.L. 587, No. 119), known as the Rail Freight Preservation and Improvement Act, to allow wholly owned affiliates of a railroad company to perform contract work that was previously limited to railroad companies, local transportation organizations, or municipalities.

Senate Bill 791: The bill amends the Act of May 13, 1980 (P.L. 122,No. 48), known as the Bluff Recession and Setback Act, to add definitions and further provide for bluff recession hazard areas.

Senate Bill 828: The bill amends the Act of June 24, 1931 (P.L. 1206, No. 331), known as The First Class Township Code, regarding employment agreement provisions for township managers.

Senate Bill 829: The bill amends the Act of May 1, 1933 (P.L.103, No. 69), known as The Second Class Township Code, regarding employment agreement provisions for township managers.

Senate Bill 830: The bill amends the Act of June 23, 1931 (P.L.932, No. 317), known as The Third Class City Code, regarding the appointment of a city administrator or manager, and addressing employment agreement provisions.

House Bill 38: The bill amends 42 Pa.C.S. (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) to align filing fees between the Philadelphia Municipal Court and costs in magisterial district judge proceedings, and also increases fee limits and establishes surcharge levels.

House Bill 66: The bill designates a bridge on a portion of S.R. 1012 over the Lackawanna River, Archbald Borough, Lackawanna County, as the Police Chief Thomas J. Malone Memorial Bridge.

House Bill 67: The bill amends 18 Pa.C.S. (Crimes and Offenses) to impose a civil penalty of up to $10,000 upon any person who transmits or receives interstate or intrastate simulcasting of a greyhound race in the state for monetary remuneration.

House Bill 78: The bill amends the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Code 30 Pa.C.S. (Fish) to increase the grading and penalty for the offense of homicide by watercraft while operating under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The bill increases the grading of this offense to a felony of the second degree, and increases the maximum penalty. This legislation also provides that a consecutive three-year term of imprisonment shall be imposed for each victim of this offense.

House Bill 143: The bill amends the Act of December 19, 1974 (P.L. 973, No. 319), known as the Pennsylvania Farmland and Forest Land Assessment Act of 1974 by adding a subsection to allow small, non-coal surface mining to be conducted on land currently subject to preferential assessment as part of the "Clean and Green" program, and makes other changes.

House Bill 144: The bill amends the Act of December 19, 1974 (P.L. 973, No. 319), known as the Pennsylvania Farmland and Forest Land Assessment Act of 1974 to clarify that the portion of land enrolled in the "Clean and Green" program, which becomes subject to roll-back tax due to oil or gas drilling, is determined from the time a well production report is first due to the Department of Environmental Protection, and also makes other changes related to taxation.

House Bill 145: The bill designates State Route 18 in Big Beaver Borough, Beaver County, from the intersection of State Route 551, northward to the intersection of State Route 351 as the "Vietnam Veterans of America Memorial Highway."

House Bill 312: The bill designates U.S. Route 62 in Mercer County as the Mercer County Veterans Highway.

House Bill 345: The bill amends Section 705(a) of 51 Pa.C.S. (Military Affairs), to empower the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) to provide burial details for veterans interred at the Washington Crossing National Cemetery, Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, and the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies.

House Bill 390: The bill designates the Route 202 Parkway on State Route 202, connecting State Route 63 in Montgomery Township, Montgomery County, and State Route 611 in Doylestown Township, Bucks County, as the George A. Penglase Memorial Parkway.

House Bill 396: The bill amends 18 Pa.C.S. (Crimes and Offenses) to reclassify the crime of drug delivery resulting in death, from murder of the third degree to a first degree felony, with a maximum prison term of 40 years. The legislation also adds drug delivery resulting in death to the definition of "crime of violence" under Section 9714 (g) of 42 Pa.C.S. (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) as it relates to sentences for second and subsequent offenses.

House Bill 399: This bill designates the Shenango River Bridge, which carries State Route 322 over the Shenango River in Jamestown Borough, Mercer County, as the Staff Sergeant David M. Veverka Veterans Memorial Bridge.

House Bill 438: The bill amends section 1 (a) of the Act of December 18, 2007 (P.L. 464, No. 71) entitled "An act designating a portion of State Route 145 in Northampton County as the Battle of the Bulge Veterans Memorial Highway" to designate State Route 145 in Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, from the intersection of U.S. Route 22 northward to the intersection of Main Street in the Borough of Walnutport, Northampton County, as the "Battle of the Bulge Veterans Memorial Highway."

House Bill 488: This legislation lifts "Project 70 Land Acquisition and Borrowing Act" restrictions on two, small county-owned parcels of land located in Oakland Township, Venango County. The bill also permits Venango County to convey a right-of-way over this land to Oakland Township free and clear of Project 70 restrictions.

House Bill 562: The bill amends the Act of June 30, 1981 (P.L. 128, No. 43), known as the Agricultural Area Security Law, by providing a statutory definition for "contiguous acreage." The change will permit land owners with property divided by a railroad to be included under the definition of contiguous acreage and be eligible for farmland preservation. The legislation also provides that an agricultural conservation easement shall not prevent the granting of leases, assignments or other conveyances or the issuing of permits, licenses or other authorization for the exploration, development, storage or removal of noncoal minerals.

House Bill 589: The bill designates U.S. Route 1 in Bucks County from mile marker 66.8 to mile marker 80.2 as the Detective Christopher Jones Memorial Highway.

House Bill 797: The bill amends the Act of June 2, 1915 (P.L. 736, No. 338), known as the Workers' Compensation Act, to include cancer as an occupational disease for firefighters when the cancer is caused by exposure to a known carcinogen which is recognized as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

House Bill 870: If enacted, this legislation would amend the Act of Feb. 2, 1966 (1965 P.L. 1860, No. 586), to add recreational, noncommercial aircraft and ultralight operations on private airstrips as uses covered under the Recreational Use of Land and Water Act, and makes other changes.

House Bill 917: The bill designates the bridge in Hollidaysburg Borough, Blair County on State Route 2014 over Beaverdam Branch of the Juniata River as the Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Lightner Memorial Bridge.

House Bill 1173: The bill amends 74 Pa.C.S. (Transportation) to allow the board of a metropolitan transportation authority to solicit competitive bids and award a contract to the highest responsive, responsible bidder for exterior advertising on rail passenger units (railcars). The legislation also updates the statute to make a reference to the codified version of the Sunshine Act.

House Bill 1219: The bill designates the bridge that carries State Route 2011 over the East Branch of Sideling Hill Creek, Monroe Township, Bedford County, as the Donald H. Clark Memorial Bridge.

House Bill 1255: The bill designates the bridge crossing Marsh Creek on Business Route 15, joining Freedom Township and Cumberland Township, Adams County, as the Wildlife Conservation Officer David L. Grove Memorial Bridge.

House Bill 1336: The bill amends the Act of October 17, 2008 (P.L. 1645, No. 132), known as the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act, in regard to the procedures for registering as a contractor. It also changes certain definitions and makes other changes.

House Bill 1448: The bill amends the Act of May 24, 1956 (1955, P.L. 1674, No. 566), entitled "An act authorizing council of any incorporated town to create the office of town manager, and prescribe his powers and duties" to provide that the town manager shall serve at the pleasure of council, subject to contractual rights that may arise under an employment agreement; and making other changes.

House Bill 1449: The bill amends the Act of Feb. 1, 1966 (1965 P.L. 1656, No. 581) known as The Borough Code, to further provide for the office of borough manager and for powers and duties of a manager.

House Bill 1549: The bill amends the Act of Aug. 9, 1955 (P.L. 323, No. 130), known as The County Code, to adjust the population thresholds of fifth- and sixth- class counties.

To read the full text of these bills, visit the General Assembly's website at www.legis.state.pa.us and search by bill number.